Ok, I just got myself a Kramer 1984 Reissue, I love everything about it, the unfiinished maple neck, the ofr, everythin except the pickups!! I do know that the amp is predominant in creating tone, however I also know that pickups are important in the process of finding the perfect tone as well. I'm looking for a pickup that is able to get me james hetfield/joe stump type rythym. At the same time I want pickups that'll be able to get a van halen type of lead sound. BTW, if this helps you guys out any, the body is made of alder, the neck is made of maple, and I am primarly a progg/neo classical player, but I love to play thrash as well.